Leaders visit Swiss Ukraine summit with ‘modest’ goals

World leaders have gathered at a Swiss mountain resort to try to build support for Ukraine’s peace proposals at a summit skipped by US President Joe Biden, shunned by China and dismissed as a waste of time by Russia.

More than 90 countries are taking part but China’s absence in particular has dimmed hopes the summit would show Russia as globally isolated while recent military reverses have put Ukraine on the back foot.

Swiss President Viola Amherd also dampened expectations.

“Our goals are modest,” she said, explaining that the aim of the conference was to inspire a process for a lasting and just peace.

The talks will focus on broader concerns triggered by the war, such as food and nuclear security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has trumpeted the summit’s wide attendance as a success and predicted “history being made,” adding that agreements stemming from it will be part of the peacemaking process.

“Ukraine never wanted this war. It’s a criminal and absolutely unprovoked aggression by Russia,” he said alongside Amherd, who said the conflict had brought “unimaginable suffering” and violated international law.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the gathering an important step to discuss peace and security questions.

“This is a small plant that needs to be watered but of course also with the perspective that more can then come out of it,” he told Welt TV.

Biden sent US Vice President Kamala Harris to represent him – riling Ukraine – while Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be represented by his foreign minister and India dispatched a lower-level delegation.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had decided NDIS Minister Bill Shorten would attend the summit.

Chinese officials are staying away after Russia was frozen out of proceedings.

Harris announced more than $US1.5 billion ($A2.3 billion) in energy and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, where infrastructure has been pounded by Russian air strikes since the 2022 invasion.

A military helicopter hovered over the luxury Buergenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne on Saturday as leaders arrived by helicopter on a patch of grassland fenced off with razor wire while cows grazed nearby.

On the eve of the summit, Putin said Russia would end the war only if Ukraine agreed to drop its NATO ambitions and hand over four provinces claimed by Russia – demands Ukraine swiftly rejected as tantamount to surrender.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said freezing the conflict was not the answer.

“Freezing the conflict today, with foreign troops occupying Ukrainian land, is not the answer. It is a recipe for future wars of aggression,” she said in her speech.

“Instead we need to support a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace for Ukraine. One that restores Ukraine’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Putin’s proposal had “shown the real path to peace”.

“If you want to save the world, discuss Vladimir Putin’s proposal … Only those who do not want peace can’t see, can’t understand it,” TASS news agency quoted her as saying.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said it was an opportunity to start building a broader global consensus to put pressure on Russia.

“It’s like we’re in a Western echo chamber. That is: all western European countries, the USA, we agree on what we want to happen with Ukraine,” Nehammer said.

“But that alone is not enough.”

Neutral Switzerland, which took on the summit at Zelenskiy’s behest, wants to pave the way for a future peace process that includes Russia.

Saudi Arabia or Turkey have been mooted as possible hosts.

Calls for Russia to be at the table will only get stronger over time, said Bob Deen, senior research fellow at the Netherlands-based Clingendael Institute think-tank.

“There is a risk that if Ukraine waits too long, it might end up with rival formats popping up. It may risk losing the initiative,” Dean told a forum on the summit’s sidelines.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Saturday that any credible peace talks will need Russia’s participation and that it would involve “difficult compromise”.

with DPA